A small group of volunteers in the Black Mountains of Bannau Brycheiniog has launched a campaign to help semi-feral Welsh and mixed-breed ponies facing neglect and starvation.

The effort follows decades of concern from Hay-on-Wye resident Isla Hampson, a photographer and long-time walker of the Beacons. She set up a GoFundMe called ‘The Legacy of Seren Wen’, named after a mare she found emaciated and alone in the foothills. Despite getting veterinary help, the horse’s health had already deteriorated beyond recovery.

Over the past decade, the ponies’ condition has declined. Many herds are interbreeding, including with dumped non-native ponies, putting ancient Welsh bloodlines at risk. Observers say it can be shocking to see foals and even the strongest ponies starving on the hills."

The fundraiser has raised almost £2,600. Volunteers have already used donations to deliver hay and feed to the animals, working alongside local farmers.

On Thursday, Isla and three team members met charity Manes and Tails, linked to Hungry Herds, to check on two particularly struggling herds at the top of a mountain. They found that the most vulnerable animals were young ponies and mares still nursing last year’s foals. The meeting also included discussions about strategies for rehoming and support going forward.

The team has grown quickly and now includes research, welfare, communications, and investigative groups, keeping in daily contact with charities, societies, and authorities. They are also in talks to meet the National Park Authority, the Graziers Society of the Black Mountains, the British Horse Society, and Redwings.

The group has drawn up a plan to create a formal guardianship scheme for the ponies. It would include health checks, feeding stations, controlled breeding, and co-operation with farmers, landowners, and charities.

The volunteers say the challenge is large, but they are committed to ensuring the ponies are “forgotten no more.”